Light modulation apparatus

ABSTRACT

Light modulation apparatus or a light repeater directly modulates a light beam into light and comprises a light modulation element having a photoconductive effect and the FranzKeldysh effect. When intensity modulated light is emitted to the light modulation element, the applied electric field in the light modulation element is controlled. Non-modulated light applied to the light modulation element undergoes intensity modulation due to the Franz-Keldysh effect related to the variations of the applied electric field.

United States Patent 1191 Honda LIGHT MODULATION APPARATUS Inventor: Masanori Honda, Yokohama, Japan Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, Kawasaki, Japan Filed: Nov. 6, 1972 App]. No.: 304,039

1451 Feb. 12, 1974 Primary ExaminerWilliam L. Sikes Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Daniel Jay Tick [57] ABSTRACT Light modulation apparatus or a light repeater directly modulates a light beam into light and comprises a light modulation element having a photoconductive effect and the Franz-Keldysh effect. When intensity modulated light is emitted to the light modulation element, the applied electric field in the light modulation element is controlled. Non-modulated light applied to the light modulation element undergoes intensity modulation due to the Franz-Keldysh effect related to the variations of the applied electric field.

11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures LIGHT MODULATION APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to light modulation apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to light modulation apparatus utilizing a light modulation element which provides the Franz-Keldysh effect and a photoconductive effect.

The advent of the laser has brought optical communication systems into the spotlight. In order to realize a long distance optical communication system, a light repeater is necessary. A small sized, unattended light repeater is indispensable in an optical multiplexing communication system. At the present time, various research is being continued in an attempt to provide such a light repeater by developing an optical integrated circuit or light IC. A light IC is described generally in Electronics Magazine of .Aug. 31, 1970, published by the McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.

Since there is no useful light device presently known which directly amplifies the modulated laser beam, the light IC detects the base band and amplifies it in order to feed it to a laser diode. The light radiated from the laser diode is thus intensity modulated. In addition, a regenerating amplifier is required in frequency division multiplexing. However, from the point of view of manufacturin g techniques, it is very difficult to combine the base band detector and regenerating amplifier as a light IC. In order to realize laser beam modulation, various effects should be considered. These are the electrooptic effect, the Faraday effect, pumping modulation, the Franz-Keldysh effect and higher order nonlinear effects.

The F ranz-Keldysh effect is hereinafter referred to as the FK effect.

In the development of the aforedescribed light IC, research is being continued simultaneously for an application of light modulation utilizing the electro optic effect. However, the modulation efficiency of light is generally very low, so that the determination of the bandwidth is very difficult. Furthermore, a pulse code modulation or PCM and amplitude modulation or AM system is presently anticipated as alight communication system. However, it is very difficult to provide a system including existing polarizer and electro-optic crystals by utilizing a light IC. It is therefore urgent that a new system be developed.

The principal object of the invention is to provide light modulation apparatus having considerably improved modulation efficiency.

An object of the invention is to provide light modulation apparatus having a considerably improved modulation circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide light modulation apparatus or a light repeater which directly intensity modulates a laser beam by utilizing intensity modulated light.

Still another object of the invention is to provide light modulation apparatus or a light repeater which eliminates the base band detector and regenerating amplifier utilized in presently known light ICs.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide light modulation apparatus which operates efficiently, effectively and reliably.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a light modulation element provides both the FK effect and a photoconductive effect. An energizing DC source is connected to the light modulation element and the intensity modulated light is transmitted to the light modulation element. The non-modulated light is admitted to the light modulation element. Non-modulated light is thus intensity modulated by the intensity modulated light.

. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view and circuit diagram of an embodiment of the light modulation element of the light modulation apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view and a circuit diagram of another embodiment of the light modulation element of .thelight modulation apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a graphical presentation of a spectral transmission of the light modulation element of FIGS. 1 and DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The light modulation element 1 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 comprises materials such as, for example, cadmium sulfide or CdS and cadmium selenide or CdSe. The light modulation element has both the FK effect and a photoconductive effect and also has high resistance values. Transparent electrodes 2 and 2' are provided on both sides of the layer lof material. The transparent electrodes 2 and 2' are electrically connected to a DC source 3 of electrical power. The DC source 3 provides an electric field of l0 -l0 volts per centimeter in the layer 1 of high resistance material via a current limiting impedance 4.

The FK effect permits the fundamental absorption edge wavelength to elongate by application of an electric field. The photoconductive effect varies the resistance value of the layer 1 by .application of light. A single crystal type is desirable for the layer 1 of high resistance material, since it facilitates handling. However, a polycrystal and amorphous phase may also be utilized. It is mostpreferable and desirable to utilize as the layer 1 of high resistance material a single crystal of cadmium sulfide having a thickness of several microns.

A single crystal of cadmium sulfide having a specific resistance of 0. ll .0 ohm centimeter is developed into material having a specific resistance of approximately 10 ohm centimeters by doping a deep level dopant like silver. The single crystal of cadmium sulfide produced in this manner is cut 5 millimeters in length, 5 millimeters in width and 10 microns in thickness, and is polished to an optical surface.

The transparent electrodes 2 and 2 may comprise any suitable film such as, for example, metallic film or Nesa film. In the above embodiment it is better to form the electrodes 2 and 2 on a single crystal tip of cadmium sulfide by vacuum deposition of indium oxide or ln O As hereinafter described, incoming light and modulated light are applied to a region of a surface of the light modulation element.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the light modulation element comprises a layer 5 having the FK effect, but not a photoconductive effect, and a layer 6 of material having a photoconductive effect on the layer 5. The light modulation element of FIG. 2 is thus of a multilayer type having a FK effect layer 5 and a photoconductive effect layer 6. The transparent electrodes 2 and 2 are the same as the electrodes of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

The layer 5 of material may comprise gallium phosphide or Gal and the layer 6 of material may comprise cadmium sulfide or CdS. The light modulation element of FIG. 2 may be manufactured in the following manner. A single crystal of gallium phosphide having a specific resistance of 600 ohm centimeters is prepared as the substrate. The surface of the single crystal substrate is a 1 l l gallium surface. The substrate is then set in a substrate holder with its 111 gallium surface placed downward. The substrate holder is fixed inside a pit provided in a corner surface of a pedestal comprising graphite in order to accommodate the cadmium sulfide granule.

The pedestal is housed in a quartz reaction tube and is heated up to 800C by high frequency heating provided via a heating winding around the reaction tube. During heating, the quartz reaction tube is filled with hydrogen gas. The cadmium sulfide is vaporized as the heating of the pedestal progresses. A thin film of hexagonal cadmium sulfide is then produced on the l l 1 gallium surface. The transparent electrodes 2 and 2 are preferably and desirably formed on both sides of the layers 5 and 6 by the vacuum deposition of indium oxide or In O as described with reference to the embodiment of FlG. l. When the embodiment of FIG. 2 is utilized, the fundamental absorption edge wavelength of the layer 5 of material having the FK effect should not always be placed close to the wavelength showing the photoconductive effect.

In the graphical presentation of FIG. 3, the abscissa represents the wavelength A and the ordinate represents the percent transmission. The solid line curve of FIG. 3 shows the spectral transmission when the ap plied electric field E is zero. When the electric field, E equals l l0 volt centimeters, and is applied to the light modulation element, the spectral transmission is that shown by the broken line curve in FIG. 3.

In many cases, the fundamental absorption edge wavelength and the wavelength at the maximum photosensitivity are almost the same, or similar, to each other. Thus, for example, the fundamental absorption edge wavelength of the single crystal of cadmium sulfide is approximately 5,000 A and its photoconductive effect reaches a maximum at approximately 5,000 A. Therefore, when the fundamental absorption edge wavelength is indicated by A0 and the layer 1 of the light modulation element of FIG. 1 comprises material having the maximum photoconductive effect when receiving light having a wavelength A0, its spectral transmission, as hereinbefore described, changes as shown in FIG. 3, in accordance with the applied electric field.

When light having a wavelength )0 impinges upon, or is applied to, the electrodes of the light modulation element and electrical power is supplied to the light modulation element, the applied electric field becomes approximately zero. This is due to the changing of the high resistance to a low resistance caused by the photo conductive effect. The spectral transmission indicated by the broken line in FIG. 3 then becomes that indicated by the solid line.

In the light communication system of FIG. 4, a laser beam having a wavelength )0 is transmitted from a transmitter and is intensity modulated at the transmitter by alight modulation element 7 having only the FK effect. The intensity modulated laser beam is fed via a transmission loop or reflectors 8 and 8 to a repeater 9. The repeater 9 comprises the light modulation apparatus of the present invention. A light modulation element 10 comprises either the embodiment of FIG. 1 or the embodiment of FIG. 2.

A DC power supply source 11 is similar to the DC power source 3 of FIGS. 1 and- 2. The repeater 9 comprises a laser beam generator which produces a laser beam functioning as the carrier transmitted from the repeater. The laser beam produced by the laser beam generator 11a has a wavelength A1. The nonmodulated laser beam of wavelength A1 and incoming modulated light are applied to the surface of one of the transparent electrodes of the light modulation element 10.

When an electrical input pulse, as shown in FIG. 5a,

is supplied to a signal input terminal 12 of the light modulation element 7, said input pulse causes said light modulation element to cut off 'the laser beam of wavelength )\0 due to the FK effect. When no electric input pulse is supplied to the input terminal 12, the laser beam of wavelength X0 passes through the light modulation element 7. This permits the obtaining of a laser beam as shown in FIG. 5b.

The intensity modulated laser beam, shown in FIG. 5b, is transmitted via the transmission loop 8, 8' and impinges upon the light modulation element 10 of the repeater 9. The transmitted laser beam may be attenuated, however. Since the light modulation element 10 is of high sensitivity, its photoconductive effect is sufficient. Simultaneously, the non-modulated laser beam of wavelength k1 continuously impinges upon the light modulation element 10. Furthermore, the laser beam of wavelength A1 is cut off by the light modulation element 10 due to the FK effect, unless the laser beam of wavelength A0 is not applied to said light modulation element.

In an example of operation, when a single crystal of cadmium sulfide is utilized as the light modulation element 10, the most suitable wavelength k0 is 5,000 A and the most suitable wavelength A1 is 5,100 A. Since the wavelength of the modulated light is A0 and it has a waveform shown in FIG. 5b, the light modulation ele ment 10 has a high resistance during the time period I of FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c. There is no modulated light having a wavelength A0. The applied electric field is thus maintained high. The spectral transmission shown by broken line in FIG. 3 may thus be obtained. In other words, a small amount of laser beam of wavelength )tl 5 passes through the light modulation apparatus 10 of FIG. 4 and is as shown in FIG. 50.

During the time period II of FIGS. 5a, 5b and 50, when the light beam or laser beam of wavelength A impinges upon the light modulation element 10, the resistance of said light modulation element decreases to a low value due to its photoconductivity and the applied electric field approaches zero. The spectral transmission shown by solid line in FIG. 3 may thus be obtained. The laser beam of wavelength Al is thus capable of passing through the light modulation element 10 and the output level of said laser beam is increased, as shown in FIG. 50.

The modulation efficiency of the light modulation apparatus of the present invention has reached 80 percent and may be further increased by selection of the wavelength of the light used. Furthermore, the light modulation apparatus of the invention has confirmed that modulation of high efficiency is provided thereby due to utilization of the FK effect.

As hereinbefore described, a light beam of wavelength Al which corresponds to a light beam of wavelength A0, as shown in FIG. 5b, may be obtained. In other words, a light beam may be directly modulated by another light beam. 7

The light modulation apparatus or light repeater of the invention does not utilize or include a base band detector or a regenerating amplifier, as widely utilized in present light ICs.

When the light modulation element 10 of FIG. 2 is utilized in light modulation apparatus, there is no need to consider the difference between the wavelengths A0 and Al. Thus, for example, when a crystal of gallium phosphide is utilized as the layer 5 and a crystal of cadmium sulfide is utilized as the layer 6 (FIG. 2), the wavelength A0, which produces a photoconductive effect, and the wavelength A1 of the modulated light are set at 5,000 A and 6,300 A, respectively, in this case, the phase relation between the modulating light A0and the modulated light Al, which is the relation between the waveforms shown in FIGS. 5b and 50, respectively, is exactly reversed. v

In the light modulation apparatus of FIG. 6, an. intensity modulated carrier of wavelength A1 is applied to or impinges upon a photoelectric element 13. The light beam of wavelength Al is converted by the photoelectric element '13 into an electrical signal having the same pulse configuration and arrangement as the light beam. The phaserelation between these pulses is maintained at a phase difference of 1r.

The electrical pulse e produced by the photoelectric element 13 is amplified by an amplifier 14 and is supplied to a light modulation element 15 having only the FK effect. The light modulation element 15 intensity modulates a laser beam of wavelength A0. The modulated laser beam of wavelength A0 is transmitted from the light modulation element 15 to the light modulation element 10, which is that shown in FIG. 4. Simultaneously, a non-modulated laser beam A1 is applied to, or impinges upon, the light modulation element 10. The laser beam Al is modulated into a pulse of the same arrangement as the laser beam of wavelength A0 by the light modulation element 10.

In the light modulation apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 4, the wavelengths of the modulating light and the modulated light are different. from each other. In the light modulation apparatus of the embodiment of may be attained by gradually changing the fundamental absorption edge wavelengths in the light modulation element 10.

While the invention has been described by means of specific examples and in specific embodiments, I do not wish to be limited thereto, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: 1. Light modulation apparatus, comprising a light modulation element having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a photoconductive effect;

electrical energizing means for applying a DC voltage between the electrodes of the light modulation element to produce an electric field in the light modulation element;

light means for transmitting incoming intensity modulated light to the light modulation element, the distribution of electric field in the light modulation element being regulated continuously by the modulated light; and

additional light means for modulated light to the lightmodulation element simultaneously with the modulated light. 2. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light modulation element comprises cadmium sulphide.

3. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light modulation element comprises cadmium selenide.

4. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim I, wherein the wavelength of the intensity modulated light is different from the wavelength of the non-modulated light. t

5. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intensity modulated light and the nonmodulated light are laser beams.

6. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light modulation element comprises a first layer of material having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a second layer of material having a photoconductive effect, the first and second layers being juxtaposed therebyleaving a free surface of each, and a pair of transparent electrodes'each on the free surface of a corresponding one of the first and second layers.

7. Light modulation'apparatus, comprising photoconductive transducing means for converting a light signal pulse into an electrical signal pulse;

input means for transmitting incoming intensity modulated light to the photoconductive transducing means;

a first light modulation element having the Franz- Keldysh effect;

electrical conducting means for conducting an electrical signal pulse from the photoconductive transtransmitting non Y light means for transmitting a first light beam to the first light modulation element; a second light modulation element having the Franz- Keldysh effect and a photoconductive efiect;

additional light means for transmitting intensity modulated light to the second light modulation element; and V further light means for transmitting a second light beam to the second light modulation element.

8. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the wavelength of the intensity modulated light is different from the wavelength of the second lightbeam.

9. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the intensity modulated light and the first and second light beams are laser beams.

10. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second light beam comprises nonmodulated light.

11. Light modulation apparatus, comprising a light modulation element having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a photoconductive effect, the light modulation element comprising a first layer of gallium phosphide having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a second layer of cadmium sulphide having a photoconductive effect, the first and second layers being juxtaposed thereby leaving a free surface of each, and a pair of transparent electrodes each on the free surface of a corresponding one of the first and second layers;

electrical energizing means for producing a DC electric field in the light modulation element;

light means for transmitting incoming intensity modulated light to the light modulation element; and

additional light means for transmitting nonmodulated light to the light modulation element. 

1. Light modulation apparatus, comprising a light modulation element having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a photoconductive effect; electrical energizing means for applying a DC voltage between the electrodes of the light modulation element to produce an electric field in the light modulation element; light means for transmitting incoming intensity modulated light to the light modulation element, the distribution of electric field in the light modulation element being regulated continuously by the modulated light; and additional light means for transmitting non-modulated light to the light modulation element simultaneously with the modulated light.
 2. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light modulation element comprises cadmium sulphide.
 3. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light modulation element comprises cadmium selenide.
 4. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wavelength of the inteNsity modulated light is different from the wavelength of the non-modulated light.
 5. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intensity modulated light and the non-modulated light are laser beams.
 6. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light modulation element comprises a first layer of material having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a second layer of material having a photoconductive effect, the first and second layers being juxtaposed thereby leaving a free surface of each, and a pair of transparent electrodes each on the free surface of a corresponding one of the first and second layers.
 7. Light modulation apparatus, comprising photoconductive transducing means for converting a light signal pulse into an electrical signal pulse; input means for transmitting incoming intensity modulated light to the photoconductive transducing means; a first light modulation element having the Franz-Keldysh effect; electrical conducting means for conducting an electrical signal pulse from the photoconductive transducing means to the first light modulation element; light means for transmitting a first light beam to the first light modulation element; a second light modulation element having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a photoconductive effect; additional light means for transmitting intensity modulated light to the second light modulation element; and further light means for transmitting a second light beam to the second light modulation element.
 8. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the wavelength of the intensity modulated light is different from the wavelength of the second light beam.
 9. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the intensity modulated light and the first and second light beams are laser beams.
 10. Light modulation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second light beam comprises non-modulated light.
 11. Light modulation apparatus, comprising a light modulation element having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a photoconductive effect, the light modulation element comprising a first layer of gallium phosphide having the Franz-Keldysh effect and a second layer of cadmium sulphide having a photoconductive effect, the first and second layers being juxtaposed thereby leaving a free surface of each, and a pair of transparent electrodes each on the free surface of a corresponding one of the first and second layers; electrical energizing means for producing a DC electric field in the light modulation element; light means for transmitting incoming intensity modulated light to the light modulation element; and additional light means for transmitting non-modulated light to the light modulation element. 